The development of a tensile testing methodology for ceramics which enables a stress vs strain-rate response to be measured at high temperature is described. The test involves a carefully controlled stress relaxation test at constant total strain using an experimental procedure and phenomenological analysis previously developed for metallic materials. It is demonstrated here with preliminary tests on alumina at 1050" and 1150°C. This offers, with further development, the possibility of establishing design stresses associated with low strain-rate behavior for structural applications. The results demonstrate that data covering four decades of strain rate may he generated in tests lasting a few hours. The inelastic strain consists of substantial anelastic recoverable strain in addition to a permanent creep strain. [

Figure 1: Diagram of experimental assembly.